Location <strong>of</strong> <strong>Senkaku</strong> <strong>Isl<strong>an</strong>ds</strong> <strong>Senkaku</strong> <strong>Isl<strong>an</strong>ds</strong> 4
Oshiro Nagayasu, <strong>an</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficial <strong>of</strong> Misatomagiri, Okinawa was the first person to conduct surveys <strong>of</strong> the isl<strong>an</strong>ds by viewing them not only from a dist<strong>an</strong>ce but by l<strong>an</strong>ding on the shores <strong>of</strong> Sekibisho Isl<strong>an</strong>d, Kuba Isl<strong>an</strong>d, <strong>an</strong>d Uotsuri Isl<strong>an</strong>d to study their topographical features, vegetation, <strong>an</strong>d birds. Beginning in 1859, Oshiro conducted several surveys as part <strong>of</strong> his journeys to <strong>an</strong>d from visits made to China during the Qing Dynasty. <strong>The</strong> survey findings were reported to the governor <strong>of</strong> Okinawa by Hyogo Osawa, also <strong>an</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficial <strong>of</strong> Okinawa. Years later, these survey reports would play signific<strong>an</strong>t roles as reference documents, because the situation surrounding the isl<strong>an</strong>ds was to ch<strong>an</strong>ge dramatically. Ships equipped with adv<strong>an</strong>ced technologies would make deep-sea fishing possible, leading to the discovery that areas around the isl<strong>an</strong>ds were fertile fishing grounds. It was also found that the isl<strong>an</strong>ds possessed abund<strong>an</strong>t resources including short-tailed albatross. As fishing became possible in the region, <strong>an</strong>d resources on the isl<strong>an</strong>ds likewise became available for harvesting, the need for knowledge about the isl<strong>an</strong>ds rose. In 1884, Koga Tatsushiro from Fukuoka, Jap<strong>an</strong> sailed around the <strong>Senkaku</strong> <strong>Isl<strong>an</strong>ds</strong> <strong>an</strong>d l<strong>an</strong>ded on the isl<strong>an</strong>d <strong>of</strong> Koubishu (known as Hu<strong>an</strong>gwei Yu Isl<strong>an</strong>d by China), now known as Kuba Isl<strong>an</strong>d by Jap<strong>an</strong>. Shortly after his initial encounter, Koga beg<strong>an</strong> harvesting the albatross feathers, fish, <strong>an</strong>d shells <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Senkaku</strong> <strong>Isl<strong>an</strong>ds</strong> using Ishigaki Isl<strong>an</strong>d as his base. And, in 1885, Koga sent a letter to the governor <strong>of</strong> Okinawa requesting permission to develop the isl<strong>an</strong>d <strong>of</strong> Koubishu. In J<strong>an</strong>uary 1885, the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Home Affairs <strong>of</strong> Meiji Government ordered Okinawa prefecture to conduct surveys on “the uninhabited isl<strong>an</strong>ds scattered between Okinawa, Jap<strong>an</strong> <strong>an</strong>d Fuzhou, Fuji<strong>an</strong>, China,” that is, the <strong>Senkaku</strong> <strong>Isl<strong>an</strong>ds</strong>. After examining Osawa‟s reports made to Okinawa prefecture that were based on Oshiro‟s aforementioned survey findings, Sutezo Nishimura, the then-governor <strong>of</strong> Okinawa, sent a letter on September 22 <strong>of</strong> that year to the minister <strong>of</strong> Home Affairs, stating that though the incorporation <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Senkaku</strong> <strong>Isl<strong>an</strong>ds</strong> into the territory <strong>of</strong> Okinawa would not cause problems, he wished to conduct more field surveys. Me<strong>an</strong>while, Nishimura ordered Osawa to conduct further field surveys. In October <strong>of</strong> 1885, Osawa boarded the Izumomaru with <strong>an</strong> assist<strong>an</strong>t police inspector <strong>an</strong>d three other <strong>of</strong>ficials to oversee further field surveys. On November 4, Osawa submitted detailed reports to Nishimura. In addition, the captain <strong>of</strong> the Izumomaru also submitted his own report. Based on the reports, governor Nishimura sent a second letter, dated November 5, to the minister <strong>of</strong> Home Affairs proposing the erection <strong>of</strong> national territorial markers on the isl<strong>an</strong>ds to indicate their incorporation by Okinawa prefecture. On October 9, 1885, then-minister <strong>of</strong> Home Affairs, Yamagata Aritomo, prepared a proposal regarding the <strong>Senkaku</strong> <strong>Isl<strong>an</strong>ds</strong> for a Daijo-k<strong>an</strong> (the Department <strong>of</strong> State for a brief period during Meiji Restoration) meeting. His st<strong>an</strong>ce was that because there was no evidence suggesting that “the uninhabited isl<strong>an</strong>ds adjacent to Miyako Isl<strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>d Yaeyama Isl<strong>an</strong>d” belonged to the Qing Dynasty, it should not be a problem for the Okinawa government to construct national territorial markers on the isl<strong>an</strong>ds. <strong>The</strong>nminister <strong>of</strong> Foreign Affairs, Inoue Kaoru, responded that it would be better to refrain 5